Hi everyone! An update!
Thank you for sticking with me! Special thanks to these lovely reviewers:
Guest, leadegroot, Levenez, Jansfamily4, liysyl, Lisa, s gabriela molina, ChrisM0519, nanciellen, Arnettin CA, Guest, Colleen S, Deanna27, LC-elsie, RHALiz, Maria Teresa C, PDS1, Shelby66
Thank you to leadegroot for the comment about the error in the previous update. Sorry to anyone who got confused by the chapter appearing twice! My fault.
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It came as a surprise to Mrs Nicholls, the housekeeper at Netherfield, to see Mr Darcy in the breakfast parlour so early. She was aware that her master's friend had a habit of being the first to rise among the residents, but he often broke his fast between nine and ten in the morning.
"Good morning, sir. I beg your pardon for not having the buffet ready yet. I shall instruct the servants immediately," she apologised.
"Nothing to worry about, Mrs Nicholls. I am only after an apple before I head out for a ride," the gentleman stated.
"Oh. I am afraid we are now in short supply of apples. The ones we have left in storage are probably best for baking. We do have some pears and preserved fruits, sir," the capable housekeeper explained. She watched Mr Darcy's expression turn into a slight frown while she waited for his reply.
"I see."
"I can direct the kitchen staff to accommodate your requirements, sir," the woman said.
"It is not for me…" he hesitated.
"Good morning, Fitzwilliam," greeted Anne.
"Good morning, Anne. I was just about to go out for a morning ride…"
"At this hour? Is it not a bit too early, even for you?" Anne wondered and raised an eyebrow.
"Well… I…"
"I was about to ask Mrs Nicholls to help me make some tea. Aunt Eleanor gave me some as she believes that drinking tea regularly would help in improving my health. Would you like some?" she asked. The housekeeper immediately excused herself to arrange for the tea trolley.
"Tea. Elizabeth likes tea," he mumbled to himself, recalling the time when the lady had stayed at Netherfield to nurse her sister Jane.
"Does she? Pity she is not here though," Anne answered. Darcy startled, not realising he spoke aloud. "Are you meeting her this morning?"
"H-how… never mind. Yes, I am. I mean, I would like to. She is very fond of walking."
"I suggest you leave soon before your sister comes down. She would want to join you. She adores Miss Elizabeth," Anne looked at him knowingly.
"I would, but I promised to give her a prize for winning the game of chess," he answered.
"What are you giving her?"
"An apple was what she suggested, but there is none here."
"An apple? Really? How odd. You have time to go to Meryton and buy something for her. The confectionery has a good selection of sweets," Anne recommended.
"No, I cannot spend any money. She specifically said so," Darcy remarked in a serious tone.
"Is that so? A lady not after your fortune. Quite singular," Anne commented. "I can ask Mrs Jenkinson to put some tea in a flask, if you like. She used one to store some warm beverage for me during our trip. We can also ask Mrs Nicholls if the cook has some breakfast food ready."
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For a few minutes, Mr Darcy started to think that he may have missed seeing Elizabeth on her morning walk. After the housekeeper mentioned that the kitchen staff were preparing plum cake and pound cake, he and Anne very nearly gave the cook an apoplexy when they appeared below stairs. Darcy had become impatient to wait for the cakes to be served in the breakfast parlour so he took it upon himself to speak to the cook. In the end, the cook considered it a compliment for such an unexpected visit to be made, all in search for a few slices of her cake.
"Miss Bennet," Darcy called out to the lady who was sitting under a tree, with a book on her lap, and her bonnet lying discarded on the ground. He dismounted his horse and secured it some yards away, while Elizabeth stood up and smoothed her skirt down. The latter watched her handsome suitor stride towards her and felt her heart race.
"I am glad to see you. For a while there, I thought you had gone back home," Darcy said as he gazed into her vibrant eyes. After raising her hands to his lips to kiss them, he led them to settle comfortably under the tree.
"I thought that perhaps you opted not to go out for a ride this morning, sir," she started tentatively.
"And pass up the chance to spend time with you? That is unthinkable," he pronounced, kissing her right hand again.
"Are you flirting with me, Mr Darcy?" she asked playfully.
"I am, but you must know my intentions are entirely honourable," he stated and kissed her left hand this time.
"Must you kiss my hands so many times, sir?" she said in a half-whisper.
"Would you like me to stop doing so?" he asked, studying her expression but not releasing her hands.
"N-no. No, sir," she answered shyly.
"Then I take it that you like my kisses?" he asked, sounding hopeful.
"Mr Darcy, I am not used to being the recipient of such tender actions. At least not from a man who is unconnected to me," she admitted, feeling her face flush. Bowing her head, she spoke under her breath, "A very handsome man at that…"
The gentleman positively beamed, though the lady could not see the sheer delight that diffused over his countenance.
"You think I am handsome?"
Elizabeth's eyes widened, not realising she had been heard.
"You must know you are, sir, with so many ladies purportedly chasing after you," she tried to avoid giving a direct answer, despite her earlier declaration.
"Ahhh… I am afraid those reports are grossly exaggerated, madam. And even if there were any truth to them, it does not follow that those women find me handsome. They may be merely seeking an advantageous match even without love," he remarked.
"And you, sir? What are you seeking?" she asked, her eyes meeting his.
"My parents had a love match. I have always wished for the same. For the majority of my seven and twenty years, I felt that I would not be so fortunate… until I came to Hertfordshire and met a fascinating, beautiful lady who would not have me," he replied with candour.
"That remains to be seen, sir."
"So there is hope for me?"
"We are courting, are we not?"
"Yes. But… I guess what I would like to know is… whether or not you have developed any feelings for me," he spoke nervously. It felt like an eternity before he heard Elizabeth's careful reply.
"Mr Darcy, considering only about three weeks ago, I strongly disliked you, you have made incredible progress," she started to explain. "I suppose, to be fair, I should also be more open with you. These feelings that I have… they are quite new to me, sir, and sometimes I feel overwhelmed by how much they have changed since I first met you. Presently, I can only say that… I wish to know more about you, Miss Darcy, and your family. I appreciate your company and look forward to your calls. I like talking to you and I am pleased that you make the effort to engage in whatever activities we have at Longbourn. I enjoy being with you, regardless of what we are doing. And… yes, I do find you very handsome… and yes, I do like your kisses."
Darcy felt his heart would burst with happiness. Without saying a word, he gently placed Elizabeth's hand on the left side of his chest.
"I just need a little more time, Mr Darcy, to know my heart fully," she spoke softly.
"As I said yesterday, Miss Bennet, I will give you anything you desire, if I could. I will not rush you. Be it days, weeks, months or years, I will wait for you." His voice evoked sentiments of love, pure and unwavering, and Elizabeth felt his sincerity with every beat of his heart.
After some moments, Darcy broke the silence, "Before we forget, I did promise to give you a treat for your victory in chess." He then produced a flask and small neatly wrapped parcel.
"That is not an apple," Elizabeth let out a small laugh.
"Excellent observation. I always knew you to be an intelligent young lady," Darcy teased.
Once the prize had been revealed to be some warm tea and a couple of slices of cake, they began to partake of the food.
"You are getting better at teasing, sir," she retorted.
"I am learning from the best. I must confess, my teacher is the most handsome woman of my acquaintance. I hope you will not get jealous," he warned.
"That depends on whether or not you shower her with kisses and pretty words too," she retaliated. "Oh, this is much better than an apple. Netherfield's cook makes delicious cakes. I thank you for my prize, sir. I am pleased to have won, if only for the reward." Elizabeth relished the last morsel while Darcy glanced at her enticing lips.
"My kisses and affections are reserved for one woman alone," Darcy whispered, leaning close to her ear, as if sharing a secret. Slowly, he turned his face and placed a light kiss on her cheek. This was a memory that caused Elizabeth to blush profusely several times during the Netherfield party's call at Longbourn later that day, and one that kept them both awake that night reimagining the sweet encounter.
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The following morning at Longbourn…
"Mary! Have you tried your wedding dress? We have to make sure it fits perfectly!" Mrs Bennet said frantically. It was now the day before the wedding and Mrs Bennet's nerves returned in full force.
"Yes, I have, mamma. It fits me just right," Mary assured her mother.
"Are you quite sure? When did you last try it on? We do not have time to make alterations tomorrow as Mr Collins chose the earliest time for the ceremony," Mrs Bennet whined.
"Just this morning. Mamma, all will be well. You have planned everything so well in advance. We only have to prepare the flowers today," Mary serenely replied.
"Oh! Oh, the flowers! Jane! Lizzy! Kitty! Lydia! Where are those girls when you need them? Oh, my poor nerves! Hill! My smelling salts!"
As soon as her other daughters made their appearance, Mrs Bennet besieged them with questions and commands. Dutifully, the young ladies did their best to calm their mother's nerves and ease her mind of any unnecessary worries.
As previously agreed, the Bennet ladies waited for the arrival of Georgiana and Anne before they started to gather flowers, herbs and greenery for the wedding. The two female guests also brought some blooms they had collected from Netherfield's gardens. Darcy accompanied Elizabeth, and Bingley paired with Jane during their search. After finding that their fingers were too clumsy to make pretty garlands, the two men were content to leave that activity to the expertise and artistry of the ladies.
"Mr Darcy, there is something I require some urgent assistance on. I was hoping you and perhaps Mr Bingley could help me," Mr Collins implored.
"How can we be of service, Mr Collins?" Darcy wondered.
"Could we possibly discuss this matter in the adjoining room so as not to disturb the ladies?" the parson requested.
Once the men had removed themselves from the company of the busy women, Mr Collins resumed their conversation.
"Sirs, I do apologise for bothering you but I do not know who else to ask. To come straight to the point, I am not familiar with the… ummm… marriage bed. I do not have experience in being… intimate… I am, of course, aware of the basic mechanics, but I am quite nervous about the wedding night," Mr Collins admitted.
Darcy and Bingley squirmed in their seats, feeling awkward about this topic and having to discuss it with the clergyman.
"I am not sure why you thought it was a good idea to come to us for advice about his subject, Mr Collins. Perhaps you should ask a married man about this," Darcy finally spoke.
"Oh, I cannot approach Mr Bennet about this business. I am marrying his daughter! I do not want to discuss this with Mr Phillips as his wife is the town gossip. I thought that perhaps, as is common for men of your station, you might have more knowledge --"
"I beg your pardon, sir! I hope you are not insinuating I have engaged in dalliances with other women!" Bingley sounded offended.
"Oh no! No, sir! Not at all. I just assumed… quite wrongly… I do beg your pardon, sir…"
"Very well. You see, while it is usual for some men to keep mistresses or… visit courtesans and widows… or take liberties with willing females, I am not one of those men. That is something I have in common with Darcy here, and perhaps one of the reasons why we have become good friends. He has been somewhat of a mentor to me, especially since my father passed away. He is like an older brother," Bingley explained.
"I see. I understand. Oh, what do I do now? I do not want to disappoint my Mary. I want to be a good partner for her, in every possible way. My late father… he was not very loving to my late mother… nor to his children… He was quite… selfish and uncaring. It may sound quite uncharitable for his own son, a man of the cloth, to say that… but I vowed that when I have my own family, I would be a better husband and father."
This revelation was met with stunned silence. Truthfully, Darcy had paid little notice to his aunt's parson in the past, but he granted that the man deserved more respect. All three of them had experienced losing their parents. He must have endured his share of hardships growing up and facing the world.
"Bingley, do you think Hurst would mind helping Mr Collins about this?
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As it happened, although Hurst found it a strange request at first, he soon agreed to lend his assistance and ended up being the best man at the wedding. The man of fashion, donning his satin breeches, immaculate linen shirt, perfectly tied cravat, intricately embroidered waistcoat, tailored burgundy coat, was rather pleased to be chosen to stand up with Mr Collins. The unlikely pair had spent a lengthy amount of time the previous afternoon discussing matters relating to... procreation. One had been quite happy to impart some knowledge, and the other keen to listen and ask questions.
The ceremony proceeded smoothly, with the small congregation noticing that the groom offered ready smiles to everyone but was most attentive to his bride, a vision in her pale pink dress. The other Bennet daughters, dressed in pastel colours, had all fussed over Mary that morning and made sure she looked radiant.
As expected, Mrs Bennet and Mrs Hill impressed with the wedding breakfast. There was a good spread consisting of bread, hot rolls, buttered toast, cold meat, eggs, a variety of fruits, and the wedding cake.
Not an hour into the celebration at Longbourn, Elizabeth assumed her place at the pianoforte and nodded to her cousin. Mr Collins took this as a cue to ask his wife, now glowing with happiness, to dance. Everyone laughed when he stepped on Mary's foot and the lady teasingly gave him a scowl. The parson quickly recovered and did not commit any further missteps.
As the final notes of the song faded, Mr Hurst approached the couple and gave his warmest felicitations. With Mary's permission, he took Mr Collins aside and delivered some encouraging words, emphatically reminding him of some Bible verses, "be fruitful and multiply".
Soon after, Mr and Mrs Collins departed but not without joyful tears, tight embraces, fond farewells and repeated promises of correspondence and visits.
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Once the festivities had died down, Darcy and Elizabeth were casually sitting on a garden bench, reliving the highlights of the day.
"Are you happy?" he asked, studying her countenance as he loosely linked their fingers.
"I am. They seem happy, and I am happy for them," she replied, first looking down at their joined hands then meeting his eyes.
"You always want the best for the people you care about, and I admire you for it," he spoke tenderly.
"Everyone deserves to be happy, do you not think? You, most of all. You look after the wellbeing of others, even if they may not deserve it," she answered.
"Does that mean that you count me as someone you care about, Miss Elizabeth?" he asked, his eyes searching hers.
"I think… you know. I hope that you know." Her voice sounded like a caress, her hand giving his a gentle squeeze. Darcy could not help but express his affections by kissing the side of her face, just touching the corner of her mouth. The lady audibly gasped at his bold action, playfully reprimanding him.
"My parents might see you!"
"They know we are here together. Besides, what is the worst that could happen? They would make us marry, which is my dearest wish anyway," he said nonchalantly.
"Mr Darcy! Will you stop teasing?" she cried.
"What makes you think that I am teasing?" he countered.
"Oh, you take delight in vexing me! You have no compassion for my poor nerves!" she said dramatically.
"Lizzy! Is that you mocking your exhausted mamma?" Mrs Bennet hollered through a window, causing the pair to giggle.
On their return to the house, Elizabeth suddenly remembered something from the events that day and shared her curious musings with Darcy,
"I did not realise my cousin was in such good terms with Mr Hurst. I was thoroughly surprised that Mr Hurst stood up with him. And I am sure I heard them refer to quotations from the Book of Genesis as well. Do you know anything about it, sir?"
"Not much, Miss Elizabeth. Not much."
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I promise -- I am winding the story down!
But I wanted more D/E fluffy, flirty time… that is part of courting, right?
Darcy is powering through. How long can Lizzy resist? ;-)
For question time, thank you, as always, for your lovely answers. Perhaps Caro will be impressed with your superior talents.
Next one: Amongst the PnP characters, who would you like to be your good/best friend? And on the flipside, your enemy/non-friend?
Friend: Lizzy or Darcy, maybe both! They are loyal and protective, even though sometimes they are wrong… but at least they would admit their mistakes sometime later on… Lizzy would be fun whereas Darcy might be a bore at times… I do not mind reading books in his library…
Non-friend: Ehhhh…. my first thought was Caro, she would be spiteful and snidey… but I think Wickham is worse in terms of character…
On a side note: Aside from the popular JA adaptations, what other period films/TV series would you recommend?
I recently watched "Love and Friendship" on Netflix, a "Lady Susan" adaptation (a short epistolary novel of JA). I really liked it.
I have mixed feelings about the new "Persuasion" film. It felt too modern for me, and I was somewhat underwhelmed. I guess if I do not look at it as needing to be true to the book, I would enjoy it more.
I have not watched Bridgerton, Sanditon, Poldark, Downton Abbey etc but I often hear about them. I am not a big fan of long series types but that may be partly due to time constraints.
Thank you all and… until next chapter!